3 April 2014, The Sonora Police Department served a search warrant on a residence located on Birch Street in Tuolumne City. The warrant was the result of the Police Department receiving information that Dean Bennett 49, was staying at the location and was in possession of several firearms, which he was restricted from owning or having access to as the result of a felony conviction.

The search warrant resulted in several firearms being seized. Methamphetamine was also located inside the residence. Bennett was not at the residence at the time, but Janice Ednes 58, was and she was taken into custody for possession of methamphetamine. Later, a felony arrest warrant was issued for Bennett, as a result of the search warrant.

14 May 2014, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department received information that Bennett was back at the Birch Street residence. The Sheriff’s Department surrounded the residence and after approximately half an hour, Bennett exited the residence and was taken into custody on the outstanding felony warrant. Also arrested was Ednes for harboring Bennett.

Another search warrant was obtained for the residence by the Police Department. Items located inside the residence this time were; a sawed off shotgun with a sling full of shotgun shells, a walking cane concealing a knife, a large amount of ammunition, methamphetamine, and glass methamphetamine smoking pipes.

Bennett was booked on the arrest warrant from the April search warrant, along with fresh charges of; being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a sawed off shotgun, felon in possession of ammunition, and felony possession of methamphetamine. Bennett’s total bail is 225,000.